WISE AI Literacy

Online

Make thoughtful, informed decisions about AI use in education

WISE AI Literacy is K-State’s series of affordable, fully online AI professional learning courses for K-12 educators. Grounded in a Wisdom-centered, Informed, Safe, and Ethical approach, the non-credit courses strengthen teaching and learning while preserving authentic student thinking, durable knowledge, and the human purposes of education.

  • Affordable
  • Valuable
  • Flexible
  • Practical
  • Research-Based

Why WISE AI Literacy?

AI is changing how educators plan, teach, assess, and communicate. Using it well requires more than learning new tools—it requires informed professional judgment.

  • How does AI change what it means to be an effective teacher or a productive student?
  • How do we assess authentic student learning in an AI-mediated world?
  • How do we help students use AI responsibly while still valuing human knowledge?

WISE AI Literacy helps educators navigate these questions through research-based, classroom-connected professional learning. Each course turns human-centered AI principles into practical strategies educators can apply while preserving authentic student thinking, protecting privacy and strengthening meaningful learning.

Making wiser decisions about AI

  • AI doesn’t change the purpose of schooling; it changes the context. WISE AI gives teachers and schools a framework for making decisions about safe, responsible, and human-centered AI use in their particular classrooms. Like other tools and resources, AI tools are only as good as the teacher who implements them.

    Thomas S. Vontz, Ph.D.
    Professor and Director, Master of Arts in Teaching

Curious about WISE AI Literacy? Meet Dr. Vontz and the faculty behind the program during a live introductory webinar offered each month.

You’ll discover the thinking behind WISE AI, learn what to expect from the courses and have an opportunity to ask questions.

Register for a webinar

Designed for educators

Affordable
$100 per non-credit course.
Valuable
For each course, earn 20 in-service hours, or 20 Professional Development Points (PDPs) in Kansas toward teacher-license renewal.
Flexible
Complete coursework at your own pace within 60 days of registering.
Practical
Coursework includes optional, biweekly 15-minute webinars.
Research-based
Courses use a WISE approach based on the current scholarship on human agency, professional judgment, and AI-mediated learning.

Explore WISE AI courses

AI in Plain English

AI in Plain English provides K-12 educators with a human-centered introduction to artificial intelligence and AI literacy in education.

Rather than focusing narrowly on tools or technical skills, the course emphasizes conceptual understanding, instructional decision-making, and professional judgment. Educators will explore what AI is (and is not), how AI systems generate outputs, common misconceptions about AI, and the ethical and instructional considerations involved in classroom use. Participants will examine generative and non-generative AI, evaluate AI's strengths and limitations, and learn how to communicate about AI clearly with students, families, and colleagues. Through guided exploration, practical activities, and classroom-connected applications, educators will build confidence using AI thoughtfully and responsibly while preserving meaningful student thinking and learning.

Safe, Ethical, and Responsible AI

Safe, Ethical, and Responsible AI prepares educators to navigate the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence in schools with professionalism and sound judgment.

Using the WISE AI Literacy Framework, participants will explore issues such as privacy, safety, transparency, bias, fairness, and academic integrity while examining how AI can support - or undermine - meaningful student learning. Through real-world classroom scenarios, guided experimentation, and reflective practice, educators will learn how to evaluate AI outputs critically, create responsible classroom expectations, and design activities that encourage ethical and thoughtful AI use by students. The course emphasizes that effective AI integration depends on human judgment, instructional purpose, and protecting student learning above efficiency or automation. Participants will leave with practical protocols and classroom-ready strategies for implementing AI responsibly and ethically in educational settings.

Interacting Effectively with AI

Interacting Effectively with AI focuses on how human knowledge, expertise, and professional judgment shape productive AI use in education.

Educators will learn how to move beyond simple prompting techniques toward intentional, iterative, human-in-the-loop AI workflows that prioritize critical thinking, evaluation, and responsible decision-making. The course explores strategies such as framing AI conversations, refining prompts, constraining scope, verifying outputs, and applying calibrated trust when interacting with AI systems. Participants will examine how disciplinary knowledge influences their ability to evaluate AI-generated content for accuracy, bias, relevance, and instructional appropriateness. Through guided experimentation and practical classroom applications, educators will develop durable habits for using AI as a cognitive partner rather than a shortcut. The course culminates in the creation of a human-centered AI interaction protocol designed to preserve student thinking, strengthen instructional integrity, and model responsible AI literacy practices for students.

AI for Instructional Design

AI for Instructional Design helps K-12 educators use artificial intelligence to expand what is possible in lesson planning: more creative examples, more differentiated scaffolds, and more tailored sequences, developed in a fraction of the time.

AI does not change the fundamental purposes of instructional design; it can enhance how educators pursue them when guided by strong professional judgment. Using the WISE AI Literacy Framework, participants will generate lesson ideas, sequences, examples, and scaffolds with AI, then apply content knowledge and pedagogical expertise to refine learning objectives for clarity, alignment, and appropriate cognitive demand. Through guided practice and real classroom applications, educators will evaluate AI-generated tasks for rigor and authenticity, adapt outputs to match student needs and context, and use the WISE framework to decide what to keep, revise, or discard. Participants will leave with a fully revised lesson or mini-unit, such as a differentiated math task with three tiers of scaffolding or a primary-source-rich history lesson built around their own students' interests, along with a clear process for using AI to design better instruction.

AI for Assessment and Feedback

AI for Assessment and Feedback helps K-12 educators use artificial intelligence to give students more detailed, more timely, and more personalized feedback, while safeguarding student privacy and using AI ethically with sensitive student work.

AI does not change the purposes of assessment; it can enhance them when paired with sound teacher judgment. Using the WISE AI Literacy Framework, participants will draft and refine rubrics aligned to learning goals, generate initial feedback with AI, and revise it for accuracy, clarity, and instructional usefulness. Through side-by-side comparison of AI-generated and teacher-crafted feedback, educators will sharpen their sense of what makes feedback genuinely useful for student learning. The course also addresses assessment design, helping teachers create tasks that require explanation, reasoning, and application. Participants will leave with practical, classroom-ready products, such as a detailed rubric aligned to a specific unit or a feedback workflow that helps a teacher return richer comments to thirty students in less time, along with a revised assessment task that invites genuine student thinking.

AI for Professional Communication

AI for Professional Communication helps K-12 educators use artificial intelligence to produce communication that is clearer, more accessible, and better suited to its audience, from a family newsletter simplified for accessibility to a set of assignment instructions written for a younger grade level.

AI does not change what good communication requires; it can help educators achieve it more efficiently when reviewed carefully and guided by human judgment. Using the WISE AI Literacy Framework, participants will practice drafting clear assignment instructions and success criteria, creating accessible communication for families and caregivers, and developing student support materials such as FAQs and clarifications. The course emphasizes adjusting tone, language, and structure for different audiences and grade levels, and it asks educators to evaluate every AI-drafted communication for clarity, accuracy, and appropriateness before it reaches students or families, protecting both trust and privacy. Participants will leave with a set of ready-to-use communication artifacts, such as a family letter simplified for accessibility or a clear set of project directions with an accompanying student FAQ.

WISE AI Literacy FAQs

Do I need prior experience with AI to take a WISE AI course?

No. WISE AI courses are designed for K-12 educators at a range of experience levels. AI in Plain English is a good starting point if you’re new to AI, providing a practical foundation before you explore more specific applications.

How much time do I have to complete a course?

You’ll have 60 days from registration to complete your course. Coursework is fully online and self-paced, so you can work through it when it fits your schedule.

Are there required meeting times?

No. Courses are self-paced. Optional, 15-minute biweekly webinars provide additional opportunities to connect, ask questions and explore course topics.

Can I earn professional development or license-renewal credit?

Yes. Each course includes a certificate of completion documenting 20 hours of professional learning that can be applied toward teacher-license renewal, including PDPs in Kansas.

How much does each course cost?

Each non-credit WISE AI course is $100. Courses are offered individually, so educators can choose the topics that are most relevant to their work and professional goals.

Will I learn practical ways to use AI in my classroom?

Yes. WISE AI goes beyond AI theory or tool demonstrations. Courses use classroom scenarios, guided practice and practical applications to help you make thoughtful decisions about when and how to use AI. Depending on the course, you may leave with resources such as a revised lesson or mini-unit, rubric, feedback workflow, communication materials or an AI interaction protocol you can adapt to your own work.

What’s the quickest way to get answers about WISE AI?

Consult the WISE AI chatbot for educators. The chatbot can answer questions about course options, registration, graduate-credit pathways, course expectations and human-centered AI literacy in K-12 education.

Ready to get started with WISE AI Literacy? Build your AI skills for education.

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